Christmas home décor tips, for compact homes | Housing News Christmas is a time when families and friends come together to celebrate. Even though one may have a small house, this need not hinder home owners from decorating their homes, to bring in the festive spirit. Here are a few tips, to refresh your home décor for Christmas. De-clutter for the festive season The first step, is to de-clutter and clean the home of all unwanted and dated items, for a fresh new look. Push all the furniture towards the walls, to create more space for sitting and place a few floor cushions to accommodate guests. If space is an issue, avoid tall Christmas trees. Use existing space wisely. See also: Here’s how your favourite celebs celebrate Christmas Christmas-themed wall décor The Christmas theme can also be extended to the walls of the house. Accessorise, with the colours of Christmas season Home owners can combine green foliage with seasonal sparkle, for natural Christmas decorations. Add a Christmas sparkle to your space Makeover tips for Christmas
Fashion Photography: What it Takes to Make the Grade, Part 2 | Expert photography blogs, tip, techniques, camera reviews - Adorama Learning Center In celebration of the Fall segment of New York Fashion Week 2014, which runs from September 4-11, we interviewed three more professional fashion photographers for our second and final installment on fashion photography to provide a clear picture of what it’s like to be a fashion photographer, as well as some cogent hints and tips for those considering entering this glamorous, but challenging field. New York Fashion Week (NYFW) is a really big deal, and its scale and economics are staggering. There will be over 50 runway shows and the production costs for lighting alone at one of the Lincoln Center shows can easily top $100k. The total cost for just one of these extravaganzas can easily top $1M, which breaks down to about $1,750 a second! According to the New York City Economic Development Corporation, NYFW rakes in about $850M for the city, double the amount for the Super Bowl. Lindsay Adler “I think what defines my style is that it’s clean, bold, and graphic,” says Lindsay. Will Cadena
A Three Part Formula For Better Street Photography To the misinformed or unacquainted, street photography is easy. Everyone else knows this isn’t true. Even those who are so good at street photography that they make it look easy will tell you there’s a lot that goes into the craft. Obviously I’m taking on the precarious venture of speaking on behalf of others — I don’t know for a fact that great street photographers would say any of what I’ve just attributed to them, but I’m confident I haven’t missed the mark by much, if at all. Claim Your Free Camera Craft Cheat Sheet Print it out and keep it for when you really need it - when you're out shooting! I’ve got an idea or three about that. Know What You Want This is probably the most difficult and most important component of crafting a worthwhile street photo, so we will start here. . Don’t Compromise As you rove the streets in search of a great photo, it’s easy to become anxious, especially when you feel it’s taking too long to find a shot that works for you. Take Your Time Final Thoughts
The Top 10 Food Trends You'll See Everywhere in 2018 It’s that time of year again, when the predictions for what food trends will be dominating our Instagram feeds, the pages of the future best-selling cookbooks, supermarket aisles, and the menus of finger-on-the-pulse eateries in the coming year start rolling in. These days food trends very often have a healthful slant. It seems no segment of the foodie population gravitates to alternative flavours and exciting innovations more so than the health conscious, and there are plenty of savvy marketeers out there who are happy to satisfy their hunger and thirst for all things new and novel. While avocado still ruled (can you imagine a brunch menu without it?), and we’re still nuts for all things coconut, last year saw the rise of the ketogenic diet, mushroom powders, and Instagrammable, #anitinflammatory, turmeric lattes – all of which we included in 2017’s trends predictions. Forget ordering flat whites, all the cool kids will be drinking tea in 2018. Sparkling and Non-alcoholic Drinks
4 Easy Ways to Get Your Home Ready for Onam! Any Malayali worth their salt knows the importance of Onam and its rituals. The grandeur of the festival that is spread across 10 days beautifully celebrates the legend of Mahabali as well as marks the harvesting of rice festival. Cleaning one’s home is definitely a mandate during this festival, but why not take this a step further and redecorate your abode, so that it sparkles with the festive spirit. Here, we list a few economical ideas to revamp your home during this festival. Flower Power! Decorating the entrance of your home with flowers is an almost sure thing during Onam (known as pookalam), but you can go a notch higher by displaying beautiful arrangement of flowers at strategic areas of your home like on an end table in the hallway or even the counter top in your kitchen. Of course, if this becomes too much of a hassle, simply filling up a large earthen or copper bowl with water and decorating it up with rose petals will offer a stunning look. And Then There was Light!
Dolce & Gabbana: Milan fashion show's unlikely champions of diversity | Fashion It would be hard to make a case for Dolce & Gabbana as being politically correct. The designers have defended Melania Trump’s choice of a $51,000 jacket, called IVF babies “synthetic”, and been accused of fat-shaming and cultural appropriation. Yet they have become Milan fashion week’s greatest champions of diversity. The veteran Italian actors Monica Bellucci and Isabella Rossellini, the plus-size model Ashley Graham, and Emma Weymouth, the first black viscountess in Britain, were included in a model line-up that celebrated glamour beyond the catwalk norm. But this being Dolce & Gabbana, the core message was less about politics or ethics than it was a reminder that pretty much everyone looks incredible in a beautifully-constructed black lace cocktail dress, or a tailored evening suit, or layers of floral or leopard print tulle draped over a bodiced slip. Which, funnily enough, are exactly the clothes that Dolce & Gabbana do brilliantly. … we have a small favour to ask.
This Photographer is Creating a Digital Archive of Old Denver “I’m more a fan of photography than I am a photographer,” Juan Fuentes said with a laugh. “I don’t really consider myself too much of a professional photographer, it’s more like I document my life or my surroundings.” Born in Mexico but a native son of Denver’s Northside, Fuentes is the curator of the @olddenver Instagram account and a documentarian of the city’s historical yet disappearing cultural landscapes. For Fuentes, capturing the authentic soul of Denver came naturally to him. It was only a year and a half ago that Fuentes started taking his shooting more seriously, beginning to work with a professional camera. In late 2017, feeling inspired to further advance an online presence of the authentic Denver, Fuentes started the @olddenver Instagram account. READ: Two Photographers are Showcasing The Gritty Side of Denver Through a Hashtag @olddenver — or more so the archive Fuentes is actively building — is a counter to this. All photography by Kyle Cooper.
Top Restaurant Trends 2018 | Restaurant Industry Trends This is the fourteenth year we have created our “Top Trends”. We discuss our personal thoughts with the top leaders in the restaurant industry every year. Using this method, we have set the standard for insight as to what operators can expect over the next 12 to 14 months. Industry Outlook In 2017, same store guest visits were flat to down until October. Consumers are eating away from home more than they are eating at home. Clean Food Last year we emphasized keeping it “Fresh and Local”. Nancy Kruse from Kruse & Associates noted at the 2017 MUFSO conference, “The consumer demand for cleaner food remains one of the biggest trends of the past decade”. There is a continuous conflict whether consumers will pay the extra cost for making this happen. Culinary Trends You read what is hot this year and what is on its way out for 2018, but, what really makes a trend are dishes that work their way on to menus for several years. The second big trend we see is more Latin dishes. Labor Issues Mixology
7 Ideas to Get Your Home Romance Ready for Valentine’s Day! Come February, and you feel that love is definitely in the air! Everyone seems to be gearing up for the red-letter day. Whether you have just met “the one” or have been in love for decades now, who doesn’t want to enjoy the feeling of being in love? Now, going to a fancy, romantic restaurant or resort has its perks, but why not bring that same feeling of romance home? A Dash of Red! Now now, we know what you are thinking. Well, we are not saying 12 red roses (though that does make a fairly romantic point). A Picture Does Speak A Thousand Words! When did you first take a photo with your partner? Think of all the little moments that you have captured over a period of time. Keep one frame blank. For the perfect aroma! Who wouldn’t love to walk into a room and smell the fragrance of mild and relaxing lavender or fresh and dewy lemon grass in the air? We Have Two Words For You: Mood. If you play with your lights well, you can instantly set a serene or even a mysterious ambiance. Table for Two!
Do you like my new dress? It’s made out of bin liners I went to Clonakilty recently and bought myself a bamboo toothbrush and a dress made out of bin liners. It was a good feeling to consume in an ethical fashion – I’m delighted with my new gúna and, somewhat sadly, I like my new toothbrush (which looks like a big wooden colouring pencil) in a way that I don’t suppose I’ll ever like a toothbrush again. I’m occasionally drawn to the notion of a better self – a calm, centred, plausible eco-self, someone who has the time and inclination to wake up and smell the home-made chutney. This intimation of an idealised self – who, by the way, is also lissom, multilingual and leading a rhapsodic life in a fern-filled glade with a sea view, a raspberry bush and an occasional duck – is one that generally doesn’t last terribly long. When I’m in Clonakility, though, the dream intensifies and I chase its shadow. But once back in the city, my good intentions seem to perish in boil-in-the-bag pabulum and exotically flavoured gins. Yadda yadda.
The Gulf Online Fragrant Nature, the creator of premium lifestyle hospitality experiences in Kerala, is showcasing three exceptional hotels and resorts in Kerala at the Arabian Travel Market 2017 in Dubai. The Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which opens tomorrow (April 24) will run till April 27. The award-winning hospitality operator has also strengthened its new ‘Kerala Golden Trio’ package, especially for visitors from the GCC region, promising them three authentic lifestyle experiences just in time for summer. Already one of the most-recognised hotel and resorts operator in Kerala, Fragrant Nature Resorts is also looking to expand to the GCC region, and bring its flavour of hospitality that is defined by personalised service, organic food, wellness and exotic locations. “Our ‘Kerala Golden Trio Package’ has been specially created for visitors from the region, who want to experience the diversity of Kerala’s natural beauty and also have memorable and authentic hospitality choices.”
10 food trends you'll see in 2018 Get ready to see these 10 food trends popping up in 2018 (iStock) Every year, new food trends arise based on what consumers determine will be the next hot topic. Whether it’s different cultural foods, environmental awareness or unique recipe ingredients, restaurants and global companies alike are constantly evolving to provide more of what we as consumers look for in our food. 1. Middle Eastern-inspired food is going to be a big hit in 2018, and spices such as turmeric, harissa, cardamom, and za'atar will take front row seats. 2. Eating a plant-centric diet is something that continues to gain traction. 3. If you’re having a hard time switching to a plant-based diet, then you’re in luck, because scientifically manipulated foods will be trending this year. 4. Food waste is (hopefully) on the decline, and in the effort to continue this progress, nose-to-tail butchery and the vegetable equivalent (using the entire produce, including the stems and leaves) are on the rise. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.